Metallic rod-packing.



C. W. G. KING.

METALLIC ROD PACKING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1914.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

/ 1 A'ITORNEY for packing WEE %TATE% PATENT @FFTQE.

CHARLES W. G. KING,

STATES METALLIC PACKING- CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED COMPANY, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A.

METALLIC RQD-PACKING.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. G. KING, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in theState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Metallic Rod-Packings, of which the following is a true and exactdescription, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which forma part thereof.

My present invention relates to metallic rod packings, and comprises animprovement in the shape or form of a metallic packing ring, devisedwith the object of reducing the weight of -the ring without acorresponding reduction in the area of its packing or sealing surfaces,or an undue reduction in the strength of the ring; and also comprisesnovel provisions for preventing the separation of the sundered parts ofa ring segment, in case the latter is fractured. I

'My improvements are especially advantageous for use where the rings aremade out of a metal. adapted to withstand relatively high temperatures,such as the rings the piston rods of locomotives using superheatedsteam.

The various features of novelty characterizing my invention are pointedout with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part ofthis specification. For a better understanding of the invention,however, and of the advantages possessed by it, reference should be hadto the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which I haveillustrated and described a preferred form in which my invention may beembodied.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a rod packing, thepacking ring proper of which embodies my present invention; Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the packing ring; and Fig. 3 is a partial section ofthe packing ring, takenv on the'line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the packing construction somewhat.

conventionally illustrated in Fig. 1, B represents the hollow packinggland or body through which "the rod A to be packed passes. The hollowgland B is closed at its outer end, except for an aperture B looselyreceiving the rod A, by a plate B. A floating washer surrounds the rodA, and has Specification of Letters Eatent.

of the general 1, and the one end surface, fitting snugly against theinner side of the plate B. The packing rlng proper, which is formed, asshown, of

two similar interlocking segments 1), D,

washer or follower E, having a conical sur- Patented Mar. 1916.

Application filed June 2, 1914. Serial No. 842,364.

face fitting against the'surface D of ,the'

packing ring. The ring is surrounded by the annular retainer F, whichcomprises a body portion loosely surrounding the packing ring proper. Ahelical spring G, surrounding the rod A, acts against the lnner endofthe retainer F through the follower or washer H and the bottom wall ofthe chamber inthe gland B.

In so far as described, the packing construction embodies nothing nownovel with me. In particular, the packing ring segnents D, D, areidentical, in so far as their oint, forming surfaces and their taperedoverlapping end portions D and D are concerned, with the packing ringdisclosed in my prior Patent, No. 914,426, granted March'.9, 1909. Insuch packing rings as have been heretofore constructed of the widelyused type of packing ring disclosed by my said prior patent, each ringsegment has been of uniform trapezoidal cross section from one taperedend portion to the other, the said uniform cross section being shape ofthe section of the ring which appears above therod A in Fig. 1.

With my improved ring, however, the cross section of the ring, generallyspeaking, is thatshown below the rod A in Fig. ring may be said tocomprise an elongated cylindrical body portion I) hearing against therod, and an out turned circumferentia-lly extending flange portion D atone end of. said body portion D. The outer radial surfaceof the flangeportion D -is the bearing surface D engaging the inner end of the WasherC. At intervals along the length of each segment, the latter is formedwith axially extending ribs ,1), the'outer edges of which are flush withthe. cylinder enveloping the flange portion D while theend edges of theribs, remote from the flange D", form extensions of the conical surfaceD at the inner end of the necessary are made out of alloys,

ring body D The cylindrical portion extends from the end of each segmentincluding the end portion D nearly or quite to the end portion D", butthe latter is not cut away, and, has the usual convex surface to matchthe concave contacting surface ofthe mating end portion D With theconstruction described it will be seenvthat the joint forming, contactsealing, surfaces of the ring, which are those formedby the inner curvedsurface of the ring, the end surface D and the contacting surfaces ofthe overlapping end portions D andD may be of the desired area in aringsubstantially lighter in weight than a ring uniform in cross sectionfrom one end to another, and havingthe same contact surface areas.I-have found, moreover, that notwithstanding vthis cutting away, .so tospeak, ofthe ring, each ring segmentmay possess suflicient strength.This is especially'true in the case of the packing rings formed of amaterial adapted toresist high temperaturessuch as are requiredforpacking the piston rods of locomotives using superheated steam.Ringsforthis purpose which, in general, pomess more tensile strength,andare more costly, poundgfor pound, thanythe. ordinary white metalackings heretofore generally employed. he relative high' costof thealloys used with superheated steam enhances the desirabilit ofcuttingaway or reducing the weight 0 'the, packing rings, and thepossibility of doing this is increased by the increased strength ofthese alloys.

A characteristic feature of the alloys used in forming packing ringstowithstand the high temperatures of superheated steam, is the hightemperature at which such an alloy must-be poured in casting a ringtherefrom. This" temperature is frequently. as high as the temperatureat which cast iron is poured Because of this high temperature, it is'impossiblegto incorporate reinforcing or binding-wires or grids in thering segment's, as set forthin my prior Patents, Nos. 1,017,674, grantedFeb. 20, 1912, and 1,052,726, granted Feb. 11, 1913, respectively, forany metal out of which it is practically ossible .to form the wires orgrids, would either have so. low a melting point that it would melt outin the ring casting operation, or would be so hard that it would injurethe red, when the wearing of the ring brought it in contact therewith.At the same time it is hi hly desirable to provide means for tying S16diflerent portions of each segment together, so as to prevent theseparation of the parts, in case the cast metal body of the ringbreaks,as frequently occurs. Transverse fractures do not of themselvesmaterially impair the etficiency of the ring as a packing device, solong as the parts are properly assembled in 1 ive-see the packing.Whenit is necessary, as is the case from time to time, to take down thepacking, it is-a comparatively simple matter to properly reassemble thebroken ring segments, if the latter are tied together, but if not tiedtogether, the packing ring is usually scrapped, so that the value of thepacking is materially enhanced by the use of suitable tying togethermeans.

To, rovide my improved ring with a suitable inding or tying togethermeans, I form holes D in the ribs D and a hole D in the base of the endportion D of each segment. These holes are arranged in a cirto preventit from drawing through the hole D which'is counter sunk at its outerend. At its opposite end the wire is bent over at 1 against the last ribD penetrated by the wire. This last rib will ordinarily be the ribclosest the segment end D The binding wire I is easily applied. Theholes I) and D? may be quickly formed in a drill press. Should the headI project above the convex surface of the segment end D, when thebinding wire is first inserted, this may be quickly and easily correctedby the use of a grinding wheel,'which is usually required in practice tosmooth the concave the conditions of use sufficiently to maintain atight joint about the red as the ring and rod wear.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I haveillustrated and described the best form of my invention now known to me,it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be madein the'form of apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit ofmy invention, and that under some conditions certain features of myinvention may be used without a correspondinguse of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Intters Patent, is:

1. A soft metal packing ring formed of segments each comprising abotfliy portion with an external circumferential ange portion at oneedge thereof and having ribs on the outer surface of said body portionwhich extend transversely to and intersect.

said flange.

2. A soft metal packing ring formed of with an external circumferentialflange portion.at one edge thereof. and having the outerfcorner at theopposite edge of said body portion beveled off, and having ribs on theouter surface of saidbody portion which extend transversely to andintersect said flange and have 'theirends remote. from said flangebeveled so thatthe beveled. rib .ends and the'beveled o'fi edge of thebody portion. of the ring contact with the same continuous surface .ofrevolution.

3;. A soft metal packing ring segment comprisinga tapered end portionhaving a convex external surface intersecting the inner curved surfaceof the ring, a body portion of less radial depth than the base. of saidend portion extending fromadjacent the base of the latter to theopposite end of the segment, and an external circumferential rib at oneedge of said body portion.

4:. A soft metal packing ring segment comprisinga tapered end portionhaving a convex external surface intersecting the inner curved surfaceof the. ring, a cylindrical body portion of'less radialdepth than thebase of 7 adjacent the base of thelatter to the opposite end of thesegment, an external'circumferential rib at one edge of said bodyportion, and other'external ribs on said body portion which extend '1intersect the first. mentioned I'll);

- comprising a cast' metal body portion wrought metal binder extendingaround the 5. A soft metal packingring segment and 9.

outside of the" segment and. secured to it at two or more angularlydisplaced points.

6. A soft metal packing ring segment said end portion extending from.

transversely to and comprising a cast metal body portion formed withribs on its outer surface and a wrought metal binder passing throughsaid drical body portion of less radial depth than 'the base of said"end portion extending from adjacent the base of the latter to theopposite end of the segment, an external circumferential rib at one edgeof said body portion, and other ribs on said body portion which extendtransversely to and intersect the first mentioned rib, said end portionbeing formed with a circumferentially extending aperture having one endenlarged and opening in said convex surface, and a circumferentiallyextending wire passing through said transversely extending ribs andthrough the and having a head received in the enlarged portion of saidaperture and having its opposite end shaped to prevent it from beingdrawn through said apertures.

CHARLES W. G. KING. Witnesses:

ARNOLD Ka'rz, D; S'rnwan'n aperture in said end portion-

